Maximum Ride: What Happened Next
by Harrowing Words
Summary: When Max and the Flock escape from the Institute, emotions rage between her and Fang, and Max has to decide to whom her loyalties lie...in a way she never, ever expected. Takes place between books one and two.


M A X I M U M R I D E

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_Maximum Ride – Nuclear Bombs and Other Party Favors_

**Chapter One **

"Wake up, Max." Fang's voice was close to my ear. I groaned, lifting my head up as I opened my eyes. The sun was bright in my eyes as I sat up, brushing sand out of my hair.

We lay on a beach in a row: Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, me, and Fang. I looked at the others. Iggy, his blind eyes closed lightly, his platinum blonde hair being ruffled by the wind; Nudge's curly black hair was sandy, and she looked so small next to the long, lean Iggy; little Gazzy was snoring slightly, his mouth open, his young face relaxed and serene; his younger sister Angel, the tiny six year old, her golden curls falling gently across her face, her little black dog Total asleep by her head. I turned my head to look at Fang, who was now sitting up next to me. Fang. He smiled at me (or as much of a smile as Fang'll ever give you), but I knew he was thinking about what I had done. Ha, how did I know? Because, let's just say, I'm smart that way when it came to Fang, my best friend in the entire world, my other half.

It was on a beach similar to this, a few days ago, when hundreds of Erasers – male model-like men who are actually ferocious werewolves – came upon us; one of them, Ari…well, we'll just say he "commented on my appearance" and Fang launched himself at him. The two fought each other, and, when the Erasers left, I was so worried Fang was hurt bad. So when he had opened his eyes, I felt so relieved…and I kissed him. _I _kissed _Fang_, on the lips, in front of Nudge, Gazzy, and Iggy. Well, at least only two of them actually _saw_ it.

Tell me, _someone_, why I had done that. I had been telling myself, during the last week and a half since, that it was out of relief. But I knew it was a different reason. And I was anxious because I was 100 sure Fang knew it, too. 

But he was just so…_amazing_. He was kind and brave and strong and the _perfect _person to help me take care of the others. And he was good-looking, too. The way his black hair fell over his eyes, and the way he looked at me. I'm not a girly-girl, but even I have my moments. And a lot of them are around Fang. 

I thought back to when he and I would sit on the front porch at home, watching the two younger girls try to catch butterflies, and Gazzy wrestling Iggy; despite having the advantage of vision, Gazzy typically lost because Iggy was so much bigger and stronger. Fang and I would talk about everything, from our wings to the Erasers to what kind of shrimp was better – cooked, or fried? Those were the good old days.

I tore my eyes away from Fang's face and made sure the others were really asleep before I spoke. 

"Listen, Fang," I said, gazing out across the water. "I don't know how to say this…Okay, so, I'm sorry about –" I lowered my voice – "the kiss."

"It's fine," he shrugged. Typical Fang – absolutely indifferent to everything.

"No, Fang, it isn't," I said, sighing. "It isn't 'fine'. I _kissed_ you." Again, I lowered my voice on the word.

"I know," he said. "I do know, Max, and I've thought about it. It's fine, there's nothing to apologize about. You were caught up in the moment."

"_Exactly_," I lied.

"Max," he said sternly, giving me a look that plainly said, 'you know you weren't'.

"You - !" I cried, throwing my hands up in exasperation.

"Tell the truth," he told me. This was it. Option one, I could lie to him. Option two, I could tell the truth. I chose option three: back-tracking.

"Never mind," I said, shaking my head.

"_No back-tracking_," he growled, reading my mind. "Tell me, Max, right _now_."

"You did this on purpose, you _planned_ this, just so I had to say it and you could hear it," I snarled. He nodded, but he sort of smiled at the same time. "Ugh, I hate you, you annoying fart-head!" I shoved him without any effect.

He looked at me blankly. "'Annoying fart-head?'" he repeated. He laughed. "You sound just like Nudge." He stood up.

Aggravated, I jumped to my feet. I grabbed his shoulders.

"D'you want to know why I kissed you?" I whispered furiously. "D'you _really_ want to know? Because I _like_ you, Fang. There, I said it! I _like_ you, so I _kissed_ you. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat." I shook his shoulders on each emphasized word to further stress them.

"Max, keep your voice down –"

"No, Fang, I won't. I don't care if the whole _world_ knows that Max Ride likes –" He clamped a hand over my mouth. He looked at me, eyes wide slightly, and gazed over my right shoulder. Then his features were marred by a dreadful horror.

"Fang, what's –"

"Down!" Fang shouted suddenly, pulling me into the sand. A gunshot sounded, and a bullet whizzed over our heads. Fang swore absolutely the dirtiest word I have ever heard him utter. "Come on, get the others. I'll get Gaz and Angel." I nodded and began to army-crawl towards Nudge and Iggy. They were all awake now, and Total was cowering in Angel's arms. I reached the older two, and Nudge had a petrified look on her face, and was clutching Iggy's elbow in fear.

"Max?" Iggy's voice was low and worried as he guessed who I was.

"Yeah, it's me, come on, give me your hand," I said. I took his large hand to guide him and urged Nudge forward. We army-crawled behind the others to a small clump of bushes by the road that ran behind the beach. The six of us dove into the middle of the clump, Total racing behind us. He jumped into Angel's arms as she crawled into my lap. I held her in my arms as she trembled. Next to me, Gazzy held onto one of my arms, shaking as well. On my other side, Iggy stared blindly forward, dread on his face.

"Is everyone here?" He asked.

"Yes," I said. Who was that, shooting at us? An Eraser or Whitecoat? I looked at Fang, whose left arm was currently captive in Nudge's tiny hands. His expression was full of anger, curiosity, relief, and smug happiness – I guess the happiness was that he finally heard what he wanted to hear from me. Prig. He caught my eye and shook his head; he knew what I was thinking, and he clearly was saying he didn't know. I mouthed _I'm sorry_ to him, but he shrugged. 

"Okay," I said, making a game plan quickly in my head. "On the count of three, we'll take off. Dodge everything and everyone on the ground, try not to be seen. Nudge, watch for Iggy." She nodded; it was routine for when we flew as a group, Nudge or the Gasman would keep Iggy on course. "Ready?" Everyone nodded. "Okay…one –" Angel scooted off my lap, Total still in her arms – "two –" we stood – "_three!_" 

To anyone standing a hundred yards away, this is what they would have seen: six different sized figures running out of a bush, leaping into the air right before the water, sprouting wings, and taking flight. 

But then again, that's what it was.

Taking off into the air made me feel at home. I immediately forgot what I had said to Fang, and felt…_peaceful_. The wind streamed through my hair, and I looked at my friends. They were happy, safe. 

**Chapter Two**

"Do you hear that?" Iggy asked sharply. 

"Probably not," I said. Since he lost his vision, Iggy's other senses have developed to become stronger, especially his hearing. He would hear things before the rest of us would. Sometimes this was an advantage, to have someone with super-sensitive hearing; but it was really bad if someone shouted in his ears.

"I think it's a –" he began, but was cut off by a loud, screeching roar from below. I looked down.

"Iggy, its professional _drag racing_!" Gazzy shouted. Iggy whooped with joy. _Drag racing. _I sighed.

"We can go if you want," I said. "If it's okay with you, Fang," I added timidly, afraid to speak to him.

"I don't have a problem against it," he shrugged. So we flew down to a thick cluster of trees about a five minute's walk from the entrance. When we arrived, a sign outside said: $5 PER PERSON; AGES 12 & UNDER - FREE. That meant only Iggy, Fang and I had to pay. We managed to scrape up fifteen dollars from our left over money, paid the man at the front, and entered the spectator area. It was a large piece of land, but there wasn't much grass. Cars were parked anywhere there was enough room, and the air was thick with exhaust and cheers. 

"All right, racing fans, this is gonna be a close one!" came a woman's voice from a loudspeaker. "We've got our fastest drivers against each other!" A second later, two terrible roars came from the engines of two long cars, speeding down a racetrack. Iggy clapped his hands to his over-sensitive ears and, when the noise died down, he made the Gasman promise to warn him when a car was about to go down the track. We made our way through the crowds to a half-filled stand; all the better for us claustrophobics. 

We sat in a group, watching the different cars. They went so fast I could hardly keep my eyes on them. Pretty soon Nudge and Angel were hungry, so I took them to get a cheap hotdog to share; I felt bad about not getting them something better, but it was all we could afford. As we walked in front of an alley between two food stands on the way back, my eye caught a glimpse of a group of three boys, no older than seventeen, messing around with an empty beer bottle. One of them saw me looking, and said something to his friends; they looked up at me, laughed, and began to come over. 

"Nudge, Angel, get back to the others," I said in a low voice. "Stay there, don't move." They nodded and ran off, glancing over their shoulders as they did so. When the boys were a yard away, they stopped. The one who had seen me first stood in the middle. 

"Whussa pretty little thing like you standin' there all lonesome?" he said, his voice thick. He ran a hand over his pasty white forehead, wiping sweat off. "No one should be lookin' good as you an' be 'lone." He took a step forward; his friends grinned. "Why don't ya come ova wit us, suga? We know how tuh take care o' you." 

"Well, what an idea," I said sarcastically. "Let's see…me go with you ugly losers, or back with my friends?"

Angry, the boys stepped forward, closing the space between us.

Should I fly? The others would see me and join me without hesitating. Iggy and the Gasman would forgive me later. 

Just as I was making my decision, I felt a warm hand brush mine.

"You okay?" It was Fang, standing right behind me, glaring at the boys furiously. I breathed a sigh of relief. 

"Perfect," I muttered. The boys came forward even more, but Fang held his ground, and so did I. I could handle all three of them by myself, but I found myself frozen to the spot when there was a quiet _swwinn_ and a flash of silver; the boy in the middle had taken out a switchblade. That made Fang pull me backward behind him, and we stumbled against the alley wall. Neither of us was prepared for that. Another boy took out a switchblade, and the third grabbed my arms so suddenly I had no time to counter his attack. They pinned me to the wall, the blade at my throat. The leader held his blade up to Fang's face. Fang held his hands up as if surrendering. 

"This your _boyfriend_?" the leader sneered to me, though his eyes never left Fang's face. Fang's eyes darted to meet mine, and I whimpered as the blade pressed to my throat pushed harder against it. 

"Y-yes," I lied in a whisper. The two boys in front of me snickered. _Fly! _I thought, wanting with my whole heart for Fang to hear it. _Fly, fly, fly!_ But he wasn't Angel; he couldn't read thoughts. It was my fault we were in this mess.

So I was going to get us out. 

I suddenly brought both hands up, wrenching my arms free of the third boy's grasp, grabbing the wrist of the boy holding the knife at my throat; I twisted one hand forward, the other hand back, and he quickly dropped the blade and howled in pain. See, that just proves Indian Rug burns and other childish forms of torture really work. Fang brought his left arm out against the leader's arm, knocking the blade away. He then grabbed the leader's shirt collar and kneed his stomach; I heard a crack and it sounded like Fang had hit a rib as well, breaking it. I punched the boy who had held my arms and then elbowed the other across the face. They all fell in pain. I grabbed the blades as we darted out of the alley, stowing them in the inside pocket of my jacket. 

We reached the others, panting, and grabbed them. They knew something was wrong, and the six of us pelted to the exit, Iggy following only by the sound of our footsteps. Angel stumbled, but Fang grabbed the waistband of her jeans and swung her up into his arms before she fell. 

"Fly?" Nudge called to me. "Max, do we fly?"

"Yes!" Fang shouted before I could answer. "_Now!_" He threw Angel into the air, and her wings unfurled quickly, catching the wind. The rest of us jumped into the air and took off as well, and screams and gasps from the crowd below as they saw us whistled in our ears among the wind.

"Don't look down!" I called to the others, beating my wings to push me higher. "Just keep flying!"

**Chapter Three**

_Thump. _A newspaper fell to the ground next to me, folded over. The front page glared up at me, with a bold headline: _Mutants Fly Among Us; Maryland Drag-racing Fans Witness Scientific Miracle from New York_. I groaned, and looked up. Fang stood there, arms crossed, gazing down at me.

"I'm sorry," I said. "It's all my fault."

"Would you stop apologizing to me for every little thing?" Fang moaned. "If it wasn't for you, we'd probably have been killed by those creeps."

"But that _was_ my fault," I said. "If I hadn't stood still to let them come up to me –"

"Damn it, Max!" Fang interrupted. "Stop blaming yourself. Those guys came up to you on their own accord, because they're creeps, OK? They're creeps who would do anything to grab someone as pretty as you."

I stared at him. Did he just say what I _think_ he just said? 

"Come again?" I stammered.

"What?" He looked confused, but Fang's a good actor. I could tell just because I knew him well that on the inside he was angry with himself.

"Did you just call me _pretty_?" I said, hardly daring to believe it.

But all he said was, "I don't know what you're talking about." I looked at him for a moment, but let it drop.

We were in a forest, and he had just been with Nudge checking out the small town nearby. Angel and Gazzy were playing with Total nearby, and Iggy was observing the surroundings with his sensitive fingertips. Nudge joined him and described the colors the sun was turning the leaves, and Fang settled down between two trees. 

What was up with him? First he tricks me into telling him I liked him, and then he calls me pretty, but immediately denies saying it? Did _he_ like _me_? And if he did, what if we…'got together' or whatever? What would that do to everyone else? I suppose I could ask Angel to read his thoughts, but I didn't want to intrude on his privacy. 

He looked up, saw me watching him, and did his kind of half-smile thing. I felt my stomach do summersaults. _Stop it, Max_, I told myself angrily. _Maybe it'll pass. Maybe you won't like him anymore in a week or so. Maybe it'll pass._

But was it just me, or was Fang starting to show some emotions finally? He'll be fifteen soon, but he's only just beginning to be less indifferent. God, we really _are_ mutants.

The day went by slowly. We didn't have much to eat; Fang and Nudge had bought a pack of hamburger rolls from a general store in the town, but there was only enough for one each. We were getting so low on cash that I doubted we had enough for a single stick of gum, so we decided that we would go into the town to ask around for an ATM to get money the next day. 

"I'm cold," Nudge moaned suddenly. She pulled her sweater tighter around her self, but I could see she was shivering. 

"Here," said Iggy, pulling off his winter coat. "It'll be huge on you, but it'll be warm." He held it out to her, using her voice for a direction, and she took it gratefully. 

"Thanks," she said, putting it on. It _was_ huge. Nudge was tiny, and Iggy was the biggest of us, already six-foot-three, so the hem of the coat fell to her ankles. Angel giggled when she looked up. "But won't _you_ be cold?"

"Nah," Iggy shook his head. "I don't really get cold, remember?"

That was one of the things the Whitecoats did to Iggy back at the school. They tried to improve his night vision as well, but instead it turned him blind 24/7, 365 days a year. But I guess internal heating turned out better. 

That night as we lay in a row again (Iggy taking first watch – despite being blind he's just as good as watchman as Fang or me), I turned my head slightly to my left. Fang was asleep already, his warm breath tickling my nose. I smiled to myself before I fell asleep.

**Chapter Four**

The morning dawned colder than the previous night had been. Angel's lips were purple, and the hairs on the Gasman's arms were sticking straight up. I was the first one awake; I pulled my black puffy jacket tighter around me and then tugged the hood up, the brown-and-white faux-fur on the edge bristling in the slight breeze. 

"Ma-ax," moaned Angel beside me. "Max, it's _c-cold_." She sat up and hugged her knees to her chest.

"I know," I said quietly, pulling her into my arms. 

"Are we going to be okay?" Angel asked, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

"I…" my voice faltered. Was it just me, or did something move in the bushes? I mentally shook my head and stroked a golden lock of Angel's hair out of her face. "I don't know, Ang."

A few minutes later, Iggy was wide awake as well. 

"Did you hear that?" he asked.

"Ig, how many times are you going to ask that?" I sighed. "I probably _didn't_. What was it?" I added, submitting to the look Iggy had on his face that clearly stated he wanted to tell someone. OK, so maybe I was curious, too.

"A kind of crunching, in the bushes," he said, turning his head to find a better hearing angle. "There it is again."

This time, I heard it. Angel did too, and she cowered against me. And now I _defiantly_ saw something moving in the bushes, and a sudden gust of wind pushed my hood down. I shook Fang's shoulder. 

"Fang," I whispered anxiously. "Fang, wake up! Fang – wake up, you idiot!" He opened his eyes slowly.

"_What_?" he demanded. "God, you really do enjoy calling me names now, don't you? First annoying fart-head, now idiot?"

"Be quiet, there's something moving in the bushes," I said. He sat up quickly, alert and focused. 

"Where?" He asked, glancing around. I pointed. Our whispers woke Nudge and the Gasman a few seconds later, and we all stood, ready to fly in case we needed to. Fang took Angel from me, because he could carry her in the air if necessary and still fly well. Or, he could do it better than me, at least. Angel wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder in fear. There was a rustling, a crunch, and a crack, all closer to us this time; I unconsciously grabbed the hand next to me. Mistake – Fang. We both looked down at our touching hands and back at each other. Hee…hee…? I took my hand back awkwardly and re-focused on the trees. Um, talk about a Ron/Hermione moment, people.

The Gasman grabbed my right arm as a flash of white appeared against the various shades of green and brown of the surrounding trees. Oh, God, oh, God, oh, _God. _

"Fly?" I whispered to Fang, frightened. OK, so, maybe I _was_ the leader, but Fang was defiantly more of a thinker than I was. I almost always got his opinion on matters that affected the whole group. He nodded. As he poised to throw Angel into the air, a cry broke the silence around us.

"No, wait – MAX!"

I froze, petrified. Who could it be? The only people who knew my name were a girl named Ella and her mother, Dr Martinez, who nursed me back to health a little less than a month ago when I was shot. But they couldn't be here. I'm not sure exactly where they lived, but I know it was no where near here. Arizona, wasn't it? Yes…and the newspaper that lay at my feet from yesterday said 'Maryland'. I wasn't too good at geography, but I was pretty darn sure Maryland wasn't anywhere near Arizona.

But then a horrible dread fell over me. The Martinez's were _not_ the only ones who knew my name. 

Jeb had been a Whitecoat at the School, but took pity on the six of us and kidnapped us away to safety. He hid us, and we lived happily together for two years. He was like a father to us. _Better _than a father. Like an older brother who could _never_ be mean or annoying. 

But then he disappeared, two years ago. I had to become the leader because I was the oldest, taking care of everyone. Fang helped me because he was only four months younger than me, and Nudge had been helping out a little, too, when she got old enough about a year ago to start doing more household chores. When the Erasers captured Angel only weeks ago, we had to get her back, but we discovered Jeb was still alive, helping out the School again. His son, Ari, was only seven years old, but had been turned into an Eraser during Jeb's absence from the School. I had killed him only a week ago. I had kept the horror of the thought of being a murderer out of my mind, but occasionally it had fell upon me.

Now, as Jeb stepped out into the clearing, the memories, the horrors, came flooding back. 

"Oh!" I gasped, clutching my stomach as a wave of nausea came over me as I saw Ari's dead face in my mind. I swayed on the spot, dizzy, blackness creeping up around the corners of my eyes.

"Max –!" Fang's voice was close, and as my eyes closed, I saw his face inches from my own.

**Chapter Five**

I woke up to find myself in a bed, with a thick, warm comforter around me. I groaned as a pain shot up my arm. 

"Thank God!" The voice sounded relieved. It was familiar, but not Jeb's, thankfully. I opened my eyes and found myself gazing into Fang's dark eyes. All of a sudden I felt his arms around me, and he was hugging me. _Fang_ was hugging someone! I threw my own arms around his neck and held him tightly.

"You're hugging me!" I practically cried, still holding onto him, and he sat on the edge of the bed. 

"We thought you were dead!" he whispered in my ear. "Max, we thought you had died!" My grip on him slackened. He held me at arm's length, and his face was pale, but color began to show. I noticed he was in his pajamas. Well, what he considered to be pajamas. Typical Fang - whatever pants he was wearing that day and undershirt. He and Iggy couldn't be bothered with getting undressed further than the shirt and shoes. They were such _boys_. Well, mutant human-avian hybrid boys. But they were _my_ mutant human-avian hybrid boys. So stay away, ladies. 

"Dead – why?" I gibbered. 

"You passed out when Jeb appeared, yesterday in the woods," he explained quietly. "But you hit your head pretty hard on the ground. You didn't wake up, you were hardly breathing. You've been asleep for a whole day and a half – it's nearly ten at night." Ha. That would explain the pajamas. He wrapped his arms around my waist again and held me close to him. "I was so worried…" 

Both of us forgot all the awkwardness of the past few days since I'd kissed him. I was alive, and Fang was _happy_. Suddenly he pulled away, looked at me, and tilted my head up. My heart was pounding. Holy crap. He took my face in his hands and brought it towards him, and then our lips met. They held together for a few seconds, and then he smiled a real, true smile. I grinned as well and pulled my face up to meet his lips again, winding my arms around his neck. Oh, _snap! _Score one for Maximum Ride. In those few yet wonderful seconds our lips were touching, I forgot Jeb, Ari lying dead, and that I had almost died. I even forgot about Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel.

Until they came barging into the room, that is. 

"Whoaaa…" Gazzy's voice was what jerked Fang and me apart. The flock – except, of course, Iggy – stared at us, eyes wide. They stood in their pajamas.  
"What is it?" Iggy asked the Gasman, who could only stand there, open-mouthed. I gave him a hard look that said, _don't you dare_. So, of course, he dared. 

"They were _kissing_!" he said gleefully, pulling himself out of his trance. "Max and Fang were _kissing_ – again!" Boy oh boy was that kid in for a stern talking-to on 'Keeping One's Mouth Shut 101'.

"Again?" Angel and Iggy said together in confusion. Neither of them had seen me kissing Fang on the beach what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Never mind," said Fang quickly, catching my eye. "Let's just tell Max what happened, okay?" Nudge nodded, and Angel did too, but they were still gazing at me with big eyes. They would normally look so adorable in their little matching pink tank-top and pants sets, but right now I was so embarrassed – yes I'll admit it, I was embarrassed – that I couldn't exactly think straight. Ha. Me and Fang – kissing! Other than embarrassed, I wasn't sure how I felt.

It turns out that I had fainted and hit my head, just as Fang had said. I had blacked out, and slept for almost two days. Jeb had insisted on taking care of me; Fang refused, but then Jeb called on some of his good ole Eraser pals and told Fang he and the rest of the flock could stay with me as much as they wanted. After much whispered debating between the Flock, Fang had agreed, and Jeb had taken us to his sister's house. She took care of me and made sure all of our clothes were washed and the others were fed. Angel, the blessed little mind-reader she is, had determined she didn't have anything to do with the School or the Institute, nor did she have any clue why we had wings (she thought Jeb was a nuclear physicist – kind of close, in a way, when Fang was mad). Jeb had told her he had found us in the woods and brought us here because we had no where to go. They had told her I was Angel and Gazzy's older sister, and Nudge was Angel's best friend, and Fang and Iggy were my best friends. We had apparently run away from an orphanage to try and find any relatives still alive, and I had slipped on a rock while crossing a stream in the woods we were hiding in. Angel was going by the name Anne, Gazzy by George, Nudge by Monique – her real, true name – Iggy by Ian, and Fang by Nick. Like Nudge, I'd be using my real name. OK, so we weren't sure 'Max' was my real name; I'd given it to myself, just like the others had given themselves their own names. But it seemed more realistic than the others'. I mean, how often do _you_ come across a kid named 'The Gasman'?

"Then you woke up," Fang concluded. I looked away awkwardly, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. What was more awkward or embarrassing than having three kids, practically your siblings and all eleven or younger, catch you kissing someone? Not much, at least, not in _my_ lifetime. 

"And you guys _kissed_!" the Gasman added triumphantly, jumping up and down in his pale green footy pajamas. So cute, yet so dead when I got out of this bed.

"Yeah, about that," I said, looking at them. "You all are going to _knock_ the next time you barge into an ill person's room."

"You can't be _that_ sick if you're kissing Fang," Iggy said, a shadow of a grin playing around his lips. I threw a pillow at him. So what if he's blind and doesn't have a warning? I pursed my lips. Fang opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment, a woman popped her head into the door.

"Oh!" she said, seeing me sitting up. "Oh, good, you're awake!" She smiled fondly at me, and I assumed this was Jeb's sister, but she was younger. She didn't look anything like him or – I forced myself to think the name, not sure how I would react – _Ari_. I prepped for the nausea to begin again, but I felt…nothing. Why couldn't I have fainted in a soft bed like this, instead of on hard ground? _'Cause then you wouldn't be so hurt and Fang wouldn't have been so worried and you guys wouldn't have kissed. _I could just hear what Nudge would have said if I had voiced my worry about saying the name aloud. 

The woman was dressed in a pale, silk robe that fell to her ankles over red silk pajamas. 

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, I'm Christine Batchelder," she said, still smiling. "I'm Jeb's sister. I assume that you were told you what happened?" I nodded.  
"Yeah," I said. "Thanks for your hospitality." The flock looked at me incredulously, but Christine Batchelder didn't seem to notice.  
"I'm making some dessert now," she said. "How would it be if you all ate up here? I don't want you to move quite yet, but I think the others would like it if you all got to eat together." I noticed she glanced at Fang when she said that.  
"That would be great," I said, smiling as well. "Thanks." She nodded and left. When Iggy reported she was a safe distance away, he closed the door and turned to me.

"'Thanks for your hospitality'?" he repeated, gaping. "'That would be great'? Max, since when have you shown manners to people we don't know – let alone Jeb or his family? Jeez, you must have really hit your head hard."  
"Angel says she's good," I shrugged. "I believed her. Anyways, would you rather me be back in the woods, and you guys sitting around my dying body without a clue of what to do to help me, or here, alive and well and -" 

"Kissing Fang," grumbled Iggy. I glared at the blind kid with no effect. Pooh. I hated that. He crossed his arms across his chest and leaned against the wall but said no more. Then there was a tiny clicking noise outside the door and a bark. Angel squealed and pulled it open, letting Total in before closing the door again.

"Ssh," she whispered, stroking his fur. "Calm down, boy, it's just Max." Total growled in his throat, but licked Angel's arm and stopped barking. A minute later, Christine returned carrying a tray with six bowls of home-made slow-churned vanilla ice cream and everyone sat on my bed to eat.

"I've been told it was your favorite," she said quietly so only I could hear, handing me a bowl. How right she was. She grinned slightly and glanced quickly at Fang, who was scooping some of his ice cream into his mouth. I flushed and murmured a quick "thanks" before digging in. _Mmm_. This was the _best _ice cream I'd ever had. It reminded me of the difference between store-bought cookies and Dr Martinez's home-baked cookies. 

Suddenly Iggy set his half-empty bowl down, and made the thoughtful face that told me he was listening to something. I strained my ears to hear. It sounded like arguing voices a little ways off. 

"Ig," I said softly, and he knew I was trying to hear it, too.

"Christine and Jeb," he said quietly, scratching his hair. "Arguing…Jeb wants to see you." He turned his head up. Uh-uh, no _way_. 

"Not happening," I said firmly. Fang set his bowl down on the floor and crossed the room. He opened the door, and we could all hear the voices clearly now.

"…let her be with her friends, Jeb!" Christine was saying. 

"I need to talk to her, you don't understand," Jeb said coldly.

"What I understand is that that girl just woke up," snapped Christine, "and she wants to be with her _friends_, not some random person who found her in the woods!"

"Go and ask her," Jeb pleaded. "Please, Chrissy." We heard Christine sigh. There was a pause, then she said, "Oh - ! Nick, I didn't see you there." I heard Jeb also sigh – if Fang had his 'no-way-in-heck' face on, and I was 100 sure he did, there _was _no way in heck Jeb'd be visiting me any time soon.

"Can I please speak to Max alone?" Christine asked him quietly. "I promise just me, not Jeb." His jaw muscles tensed, as if reluctant to leave any of the flock alone with a stranger in their house, but stepped aside.

"C'mon, guys," he said, motioning to the others. They set their empty ice cream bowls down and followed him out, past Jeb; Fang went last, and, as Angel took his hand, he glanced back at me. I nodded, and we both understood I'd be okay. Fang took another look at me, and then was out of sight. Christine gave her brother a cold look and shut the door in his face before sitting on the end of my bed.

"Okay, look," she said, as if uncertain what to say. "I can see from the way the others are acting around my brother that you've known him from before. He didn't talk about it, but when I saw your wings – and the others said they had them, too – I wasn't so sure I believed my brother was really a nuclear physicist. I have a feeling he has something to do with it. I'm scared – not _of_ you – but _for_ yous, Max. I'm trying to keep a watch on Jeb, but it's hard. Max, I really need your help. I need to know how Jeb is involved in all this. Because…" she took a deep breath. "Because Ari is dead. My nephew – he's almost like a son to me even more than to Jeb - is _dead_. And Jeb's job has something to do with it. I want to know _why_."

_Oh, God_. What would she say if I told her I killed Ari, her beloved nephew, Jeb's son – my possible _brother_? The words Jeb had screamed at me from the Institute echoed in my ears as he discovered his dead son. "_You killed your own brother!_" As I thought about those words, I realized that this woman sitting here could be my _aunt._ Scary, huh? I decided not to tell her that little bit of information. But how could I tell her anything without? I could be a lawyer – tell the truth, just not exactly the _whole_ truth. I hoped she wasn't a lawyer herself. But why should I tell her anything? Ari tried to kill me – and by my killing him nearly did so a day and a half ago – and my flock a dozen times. If she loved him, then – but _no_. She didn't know that Ari was an Eraser. She didn't even know what those were. She loved the human Ari, the _good_ Ari. The Ari we _all _loved.

I sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that you were close to Ari," I said. "I knew him, but I can't tell you how. At least, not yet. I'm not ready yet." I hoped she understood.

"That's okay," she said, nodding and smiling a sad smile. "I understand you've been through a lot lately, and you're not ready to talk about it yet. But, please, when you are, I really need to know." 

"I promise," I said, and I meant it. She had a right to know, I guess. 

_Very good, Max_. I almost jumped. 

_Hullo, voice, _I thought dully. _Can't exactly say I'm fond of seeing you again, and not just because I can't see you._

_You're trusting people, _the Voice said. It had been away from me since the night I killed Ari. Almost two weeks. I hadn't missed it, nor given thought to it until now. _Just be careful _who_ you trust. But I'll help you on this one. You can trust her. _

_Thanks, _I thought, not really meaning _that_. 

"Um, Christine?" I said quietly. "I don't exactly want to see Jeb right now."

"I understand," she said sincerely. She stood up and said, "I'll let the others come in now. They really were quite anxious about you. None of them would go to bed before midnight just in case you woke up after their bedtime. Especially Nick." She smiled and picked up the bowls. "He wouldn't leave your side."

I watched her retreat and fell back on my pillows, sighing.

The flock slowly re-entered the room. Fang glanced at me, as if to check that I really was alive, and smiled slightly. I returned his smile and Nudge ran up and gave me a hug.

"Oh, Max," she squealed. "I'm so glad you're better, this is so happy, we thought you were done for when Jeb showed up and then he brought out his Eraser cronies and then made us come here and we thought it would just be awful, just _dreadful_, but it's actually not that bad except Jeb hanging around the hallway outside your room so much, but other than that and you not being awake, it's been fun!" She said this entire speech without stopping, and I thought she was going to burst. Or, would have, if I hadn't known her so long. She could talk for ten minutes _straight _and didn't care if anyone was listening or not. Angel hugged me, too, before crawling onto the bed, and the Gasman wrapped his arms around my neck.

"Glad you're awake, Max," he said. 

"Thanks, Gaz," I whispered, stroking his hair. Iggy came over and almost pulled me out of the bed when he hugged me. Fang was sitting on the windowsill, but I saw him watching me closely. I thought about the kiss, and what Christine said. Did he really never leave my side? Our eyes met and I gave him a small smile, but then pulled my gaze away, my face warm. I saw Gazzy bite his lip and glance quickly between Fang and I, but then shrugged and sat criss-cross next to Nudge on the bed. 

**Chapter Six**

The younger half of the flock – Gasman, Nudge, and Angel – had to go to bed at ten thirty that night. Half of me wanted them to stay, but the other half knew they would get out of the habit of bedtimes if they stayed up too long too much. So that left me, Fang, and Iggy alone in my room. Angel and Nudge were sharing a room, and the boys shared one as well. I had my own room because of what had happened. Otherwise, I probably would have been sharing with the girls, which I wouldn't have minded. But it was nice to be on my own in a real bed in a real bedroom, and it kind of reminded me of our home back in Colorado. The first home I'd ever had, which now probably lay in splinters and chunks of plaster thanks to one of Iggy and Gazzy's lovely home-made bombs. Yup, the blind kid makes bombs. And cooks, and picks locks. He's pretty much amazing. Then again, we all are.

Iggy lay across the bottom of my bed, knees to toes dangling off one end, head dangling off the other; he was too big for lying like that on this bed.

"Hey, Ig," I said. "You know that if you lay like that for too long, all your blood will rush to your head, and you can die?"  
"Mmmhhmm," was all he could say. I chuckled and reached over from where I was sitting. I tickled his stomach in his ticklish spot, and he burst out laughing, coming together like a book being closed. "Argh – Max, I'll kill you!" He said, wheezing and still laughing a little. Fang looked on with amused eyes but didn't say anything. Typical Fang. If you ever want to meet a real 'strong and silent' type, I'll introduce you to Fang without hesitation to think. After a moment, Iggy calmed down and took something out of his pocket.

"What's that?" Fang asked curiously, coming over. 

"Dunno," Iggy replied, running his sensitive fingers across the smooth surfaces. It kind of looked like a rock, but…different. It seemed to glow, and was silver, like molten metal.

"Can you see that?" I asked, tracing the air a millimeter above the object at the top of the glow. "That…glow?"

"Yeah," Fang said, frowning. "Here, lemme see it." Iggy handed him the rock, his brow furrowed.

"The funny thing is," Iggy said, watching Fang examine the rock, "is that I can…_feel _that glow. It's like it's _something_, not just…I dunno. Like it's not just a glow, but like its rock, too. Like tiny, tiny, itsy bitsy rocks."  
That made me think. It looked like a glow, but Iggy could feel it, like it was rock, too. But a shout from Fang jolted me out of my thoughts. He tossed the rock, and it landed between me and Iggy.

"Fang – " I began eyes wide. 

"It _burned _me," he said, holding his wrist. Iggy and I jumped off the bed and went around behind him. Sure enough, his palm was burned – red and blistering. 

"Impossible," I breathed, taking hold of his hand in mine. "It didn't burn me. Did it burn you, Iggy?" The blind kid shook his head, and ran his fingers delicately over Fang's hand, then again over the burn. Fang didn't wince, but I noticed his jaw muscles tighten in pain even though Iggy's fingers were barely touching his wound. 

Iggy swore.

"What?" Fang and I said together, looking at him.

"It's…" Iggy began, shaking his head in disbelief. "It's turning hard. Like, it's turning into stone itself. But soft stone. I dunno. It's weird."

I looked back and my eyes grew wide. Was the stone shaped like an 'I'? I looked back at it on the bed, but nope, of course, like _everything _in this stupid world, it was normal. But Fang's burn was taking on the shape of an 'I'. Fang saw as well, and then ripped his hand away from me.

"Ouch!" he shouted, and then bit his lip. He fell to his knees. Something must really have hurt if it made Fang shout out and fall to the ground. Really hurt.

"Fang!" What the heck was I supposed to do? I'm no medic. Get Christine? No, I didn't want to involve her in any of this yet. Jeb was out of the question automatically.

_L'eau_. 

_Come again? _I thought. _So, teaching me French now, are we, Voice?_

_L'eau_, it said simply. _Voulez-vous palrez français, Max?_

I sighed. How stupid was I? I turned to Iggy, who had once tired to learn French with Jeb when we were eleven.

"Iggy, do you remember what '_l'eau_' means?" I asked him. 

"Uh…" he said, his blind eyes darting left and right as he wondered what in the heck I was asking him about. "Yeah, water."

"Ha, _see_, Voice?" I snapped out loud. Iggy shot me a glance that clearly said, "_I am totally fearing for your sanity, OK, Max?_" But I wasn't thinking of that now.

"Come on," I muttered to Fang. "Bathroom."

Unfortunately, the only two people currently with us who knew where the freaking bathroom in this place were either blind or in pain and unable to speak. So I had to find it myself. Iggy could give me general directions, like, "Forward until you reach the stairs, then to the left", etc., but for the most part I was on my own. Eventually we found it, Fang lowered himself onto the side of the tub. I filled a glass with water, held Fang's hand over the tub, and splashed the water on it.

He began to howl in pain, but I clapped my free hand over his mouth. 

"Ssh!" I whispered. "Do you want the others to wake up? Or Christine or Jeb?" He bit his lip and looked away from his burn as an answer. "Didn't think so," I said, refilling the glass. I handed Iggy a towel and instructed him to press it carefully to Fang's burn. Using his fingers, Iggy found the burn and set the wet tip of the towel on it. Fang's jaw muscle twitched and he bit his lip harder, but said nothing. A minute later, I was ripping up parts Fang's holed t-shirt to wrap over the burn; I could have gotten a Band-Aid or something better from Christine, but as I said before, I wasn't involving her in any of this. I wrapped the pieces of white cloth over Fang's hand, tying it tightly but carefully above his wrist.

"All set," I murmured, standing up to admire my handy-work. Ha, ha. Get it – _handy-work_ on his _hand_? _I _get it. 

"Thanks," he said, examining it. "It was like, my hand was on fire or something." He pulled off the rest of the torn shirt and threw it in the silver trash can in the cabinet under the sink. We walked back to my room, and stood there in a row, staring at the silver stone on my bed in wonder. It was small, perfectly round, and the glow was still there. None of us dared touch it, but an urge to was about to overwhelm me. Fang seemed to sense it, because he laid his good hand on mine, and gave me a look that said, _don't you dare_. I nodded and turned my head to the stone. What _was_ it? It hadn't burned either Iggy or I when we touched it. What, did it have something against Fang in particular?

"It's like it hates you," Iggy muttered my thought aloud. "It didn't burn Max or me." 

"Where'd you find it?" I asked quietly, glancing up at him.

He shook his head, as if trying to remember. "I dunno. Can't remember…I think it was back home."

"And it hasn't burnt you, ever?" I said. He shook his head. It had been at most a month ago when we'd last seen our home, and then I remembered that Iggy and Gazzy had blown up a cottage that we had used for our kind of rec-room. But it couldn't have been a piece from that – it would have cooled by now, and if it hadn't, it would have at least burned Iggy and I as well. 

"How are we going to get it off your bed, though?" Iggy said, brow furrowed. I looked around the room. There was a bookshelf on one of the walls. Ha, like anyone would catch me reading the titles on there: _Pride & Prejudice_, _Sense & Sensibility, _and – double 'ha' – _The Life and Times of an Arabian Priest in Hong Kong: An Autobiography. _

_Books can be deceiving, _said the Voice. 

_Oh, so you're a fan of _Jane Eyre_, now, too? _I thought bitterly. _I thought learning French and being annoying were very time-consuming. Guess not.__Or is it priests in Hong Kong catching your eye now?_

But, of course, the lovely little voice in my head had snuck away into the darkness.

And then I had the answer. Fancy that, the Voice actually helped me. For once.

"We'll slide it off the edge with a book," I said to the other two. "We can catch it in the glass from the bathroom, and Iggy can put it in his bag." 

"Cool," Iggy said, shrugging. Fang nodded, and went to the bathroom to get the glass. In the meantime, I turned to the bookshelf. I grabbed at the autobiography, but found – shockingly – that I was too short to reach it. 

"Crap," I muttered, frowning. "Too high." I'm tall for my age – for girls, at least – and beats me why the bookshelf was almost six feet in the air. I thought about unfurling my wings, but before I had time to measure the width of the room, I felt Iggy's body behind me. His fingers reached up and easily grabbed a random book off the shelves – _Anatomy of an Australian Arachnid Habitat_. Scoff. 

But…something felt weird. _Really _weird. 

_Where do your loyalties lie, Max? _

Oh, would it ever _shut up?_ And what _loyalties? _To the flock, or to the School? Gee, I dunno…!

Except when my breath caught in my throat, I realized what it meant. Fang – or Iggy? Without my realizing it, Iggy's book-free hand had found my waist. My heart was beating faster than normal. If I was 100 human, I should be having a heart attack. But, of course, I wasn't, and my heart normally beat as fast as a human's _shouldn't_. So now, it was like _th-th-th-th-th_ over and over, going so fast it never actually got to the _'ump_' part. 

Oh, God. Oh God oh God oh _God._

I saw him quietly slide the book onto the table under the shelf. He turned me slowly around, and I looked into his blind eyes, his head bent towards me…

**Chapter Seven**

"Sorry to break this up," a voice said. I jumped, pulling away from Iggy. Oh. My. Freaking. Gosh. 

Fang.

He stood leaning against the doorway, arms folded, the glass being held by his fingers. Why hadn't Iggy heard him? I wasn't about to ask that out loud. Fang's voice was low, hallow. Hurt. I looked into his face, and had to look away almost immediately. His jaw muscle was twitching, eyes steely.

"Here's the glass," he said, slamming it down on my bedside table. "I'm going to bed." He turned and began to leave the room.

"Fang – " I began, tearing out of Iggy's grasp. I hurried forward, taking Fang's unhurt hand. He twisted around, pulling his hand away. His eyes flashed.

"_Good night_ Max," he said quietly, angrily. It was all I could do not to start shaking at how angry he was at me. I felt like crying. Fang was my _best friend_. And he was so pissed, I think he would have left right then and there if it wasn't for the fact we had a mission and he cared for the rest of the flock. Right now, though, I had a horrible feeling he couldn't care less about me or Iggy. So I had to stand there, shaking so badly, and watch him turn away and melt into the darkness of the hallway as he walked to his room. Iggy brushed past me, and I realized the rock was in the jar. I didn't bother asking how he did it so quickly and without me knowing. After all, the kid is blind but makes bombs and cooks better than anyone I know.

"I'm sorry, Max," he whispered, and then turned away, closing the door behind him. 

I flung myself into my bed, burying my face in my pillows, and began to softly cry.

"Max?" 

The door opened quietly a few minutes later, and Nudge sidled into the room. I sat up, wiping the tears from my eyes.

"Yeah?" I said bleakly. Nudge tip-toed to my bed and crawled to sit under the covers next to me.

"I…I heard what happened," she admitted in a soft voice, looking down at her hands in her lap. "I woke up to go to the bathroom, and then I saw Fang in your room. I looked past him and saw…" she shook her head, and continued in an even quieter voice, "you and Iggy." She glanced at me, and then looked away. 

"Oh," I said softly. Well, _crap_. Can't I kiss anyone without her seeing? Guess not. But I hadn't _meant _to kiss Iggy. It just kind of…happened. More 'just-kind-of-happened' than with Fang.

"I mean," she continued, "I know I really shouldn't have been _spying _or anything, and I wasn't, well, I didn't _mean_ to see or anything, but the door was all open and stuff and then Fang was looking really mad and I was really scared so I pretended to be asleep when he passed, but I think he knew I was awake and knew and I'm scared he's going to get mad at me, and I just don't know what's going _on_ with you three anymore – you're all so much older and different and you're _ready_ to have boyfriends and girlfriends and stuff, but it's weird 'cause there's only the six of us, you know, and I don't think we'd ever date anyone _outside_ the flock, and it's just so _weird_ and I'm sooo upset that Fang's mad and I just don't know what to do!"

Okay, so Nudge had had outbursts before, but none had been more…emotional than this one. It practically broke my heart when she burst into quiet tears, rocking back and forth, and I was kind of reminded of Dobby the House-Elf. Only better looking and with wings and a better wardrobe.

"Ssh," I whispered, pulling her into my lap. I stroked her hair as she sobbed into my shoulder. "Ssh…it's OK, Nudge, it's fine…Fang isn't mad at you, and he won't be, OK? He loves you, and so do me and Iggy and the others. It's just…complicated, 'kay? Me and Iggy and Fang. We're all friends, but we're still _teenagers. _Things are going to be getting kind of a bit more complicated around here as you and Gazzy and Angel get older, too. But we'll work it out, like always." The sudden, fleeting image of me walking in on teenaged Nudge kissing a teenaged Gazzy flashed through my mind, but I shut it out quickly, not knowing what to think about that one.

But my own words sounded false. Would it really work out okay?

_Loyalties, Max, _the Voice said.

_Loyalties_, I repeated in my head. 

Damn _loyalties_.

**Chapter Eight**

The next morning dawned and I woke up in Christine's house. I remembered last night. It had been wonderful kissing Fang and eating ice cream and knowing I could trust Christine and being with the others. But what had sucked was…pretty much everything else. Like, the rest of the flock walking in on me and Fang kissing, knowing I'd have to tell Christine everything, Fang getting burned, Fang getting _pissed_, and Nudge freaking out. 

Kissing Iggy. 

I had to decide which category that one went under.

On the plus side, it wasn't so bad. It was different than with Fang because Iggy's just so much taller, and the aftermath was dreadful. But he wasn't that bad of a kisser for that being his first time. Neither was Fang, I reminded myself.

Good Lordie. I was _so_ in over my head. I guess it's not as bad for regular human girls, who have so many more fish in the sea. But there aren't as many human-avian hybrid boys in the air. Just three.

Nudge had promised not to tell Gazzy or Angel what had happened, and I was 110 sure I could count on the two older boys on the same thing. 

I guess the only thing I was worried about the second I woke up, was that Fang had, like, totally murdered Iggy in the middle of the night.

He hadn't. 

Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel sat in the kitchen when I found it, eating breakfast.

"Morning," I said in a small voice, not looking at Iggy. The others, sleepy, murmured the same back to me.

"Where's Christine?" I asked, falling into a chair beside Nudge. Why was I so stupid? The only empty chair for Fang was the one right across from me. Next to Iggy. Wonderful.

Nudge passed me a hand-written note that read, _Morning kids! Off to show Jeb my office. I'm going to spend some time with him today, catching up. We haven't seen each other in a few years, so I seized the opportunity! There are some pancakes in the fridge. You just need to heat them in the microwave for about half a minute. There's also some milk or orange juice. Lunch is there, too. We'll be home for dinner._

_-Christine_

When I finished reading, Fang came into the kitchen, purposefully avoiding looking at anyone but Angel and Gazzy. _So he had seen Nudge_, I thought, bummed. I practically felt Nudge's disappointment radiating off her as I put some syrup and butter on my pancakes. I did a double take and noticed his hand still bandaged, and that he hadn't replaced his t-shirt. Yeah, way to go, buddy. Not looking at me may do part of the trick, but _putting on a shirt_ may finish just the whole _me_-not-looking-at-you thing, 'kay? I quickly lowered my eyes as he faltered for a second, eyes flickering from the empty chair to me to Iggy and back to me. He sat down somewhat reluctantly, and pulled the plate piled high with pancakes towards him – apparently Jeb had warned Christine we eat _a lot_. Piling five on his plate (we mutant freaks have not only mutant freak heartbeats – as mentioned earlier – but mutant freak massive appetites as well), he then poured syrup over them. He began wolfing them down faster than normal, making Angel and Gazzy – who had no idea why a sudden stiffness had fallen over us four older members of the flock when Fang came in – stare with their wide blue eyes. 

"Um, Fang?" Angel said tentatively. "The world isn't about to end, you know."

"Might just," I said, poking at my own pancakes. "We're on a mission to save the world, according to Jeb." I had lost my appetite the moment Fang entered the kitchen. And I could guarantee it wasn't going to return before my own four pancakes got cold.

"What the traitor said," Fang snarled between bites, not looking up. Angel and Gazzy looked between me and Fang, eyes growing even wider. 

"Okay, look." I pushed my plate away angrily, my frustration overwhelming me. 

Usually if Fang and I were having a dispute, we'd go on our own and blow up at each other. But this one included Iggy, and kind of Nudge as well. And if it was going to end up affecting the whole flock, the two youngest kids had a right to know as well.

Nudge and Iggy stiffened, and everyone stopped eating. Except, of course, Mr. I'm-too-pissed-at-my-best-friend-to-pay-attention-to-her. Prig.

"Stop _eating!_" I practically shouted, knocking his plate to the floor. The glass plate shattered, and the floor was covered in sticky pancakes and syrup. The knife and fork clattered under the table. He glared at me across the table. 

"What is so important that you need to talk to me about _right this instant?"_ he growled. 

"I don't know what happened last night, and I don't know _why_," I said through clenched teeth. "What I _do_ know is, is that I'm not going to be forced to choose between you and Iggy. Got that? If you try to make me, I swear to God I'll whip both your guys' asses, is that clear?"

He looked at me, expressionless, and then crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. 

"Crystal," he said, almost sneering. 

Now I was really getting mad. It wasn't going to be that simple, and both of us knew that. He was just messing with me, trying to see how angry he could get me. Well, two could play this game.

"What I don't get," I continued, "is why you got so pissed last night after I kissed Iggy."

Angel and Gazzy gaped at me, then at Iggy, and then at Fang.

"Because you can't just _do_ that!" Fang said, sitting forward.

"Do _what_?" I snapped. "Kiss him? Too bad, I already _have_, in case you didn't notice. No, wait, you did, and then decided to freak Nudge out by being a total idiot and stomping away looking pissed beyond belief. Way to go, I applaud you and your cold heart."

"If you listened, then you would know!" Fang shouted.

"I'm listening!" I hissed.

"You kissed me," he said, eyes boring into mine. "You kissed me on the beach weeks ago. Then you tell me you like me. Then you kiss me again – "

"You kissed me!" I objected angrily.

"And _you_ kissed _me_ back!" Fang growled. "And then, you kiss Iggy. You can't just do that, Max. You can't go playing us around like your…_boy toys._ We're not. We're your friends, Max."  
_Boy toys. _The words stung me badly.

"You want 'friends'?" I said, my voice rising, emphasizing the word. "You want 'friends'? I'll give you 'friends': 'friends' don't get mad when one of them kisses someone. 'Friends' don't ignore their friends. _You're _not being my friend now, Fang. Do you know what you're being? A self-absorbed jerk." My voice began to shake at the end.

"Shut up," Fang said quietly. "Just _shut up_, Max."

That kind of pushed me over the edge. I shoved my chair back, strode around the table, and stalked out of the room, being careful to avoid the pancakes and glass shards and catching anyone's eye as tears spilled down my cheeks. I was _really _becoming a leaky faucet these past weeks. Call the plumber.

**Chapter Nine**

Being outside for the first time in a few days felt _great_. I finally got to stretch my wings after them being pulled tight against me for hours. Christine lived in a kind of secluded cove of trees on a private road, so I could fly around a little without being seen by anyone but the flock.

After a few minutes of stretching my wings, I landed on the roof, careful to sit in the shadow cast by the chimney to avoid burning myself on the hot, black roof tiles heated by the sun.

About half an hour later, Fang flew up and stood on the roof in front of me. Spectacular.

"I have to save the world, keep the Flock safe, deal with this stupid Voice, and fight Erasers," I said in a dull voice, wishing he'd leave but not looking at him. "I don't have anymore room in my life for complicated teen drama."

He stood there for a second, then nodded. "OK…How about a best friend who's really, really, _really_ sorry instead?"

I looked up at him, and saw sincerity gleaming in his eyes.

"Might be room for him," I said quietly. He came and sat next to me and we gazed at the scene in front of us. 

After a few minutes of silence, he said, "Max, I'm sorry. Really, really, _really _sorry. I shouldn't have blown up like that."  
"Nudge was really upset last night," I mused quietly. "After you and Iggy left, she came in and was really upset, thinking you were mad at her."

"Why?" Fang asked, surprised.

"Because she knew you knew she knew," I said.

"Give me a minute to figure out what you just said," Fang teased, and I allowed a small grin to cross my face. 

"It's just…difficult, you know?" I said, pulling at a loose thread on my jacket. "It's you and me and Iggy. We're the oldests, and we have to set an example or whatever, but we're just kids. I'm tired of having to fight all the 'teen drama' just to take care of the younger kids. And I hate it, Fang. I really do. I want to be a _teenager_, not an adult, for once. I want to be able to deal with my problems, not the Flocks'. I don't want to save the world."

I hadn't been expecting to say so much. I was shocked that the words I had bottled up in my mind for so long had come out just now, just like that. Fang put his arms around my shoulders, pulling me to his chest. I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face in his shoulder, blinking rapidly to stop the tears already hazing my vision.

_You have to save the world, _said the Voice, sneaking back into my brain.

_No, Voice, I don't, _I thought back angrily. _If you know so much about it, then why don't _you_ do it yourself and leave me alone?_

_It isn't that simple, Max_, the Voice said sadly. _It just isn't that simple. _

You're telling me

**Chapter Ten**

Fang, Iggy, and I made up. Iggy and I both decided our kiss meant nothing, because it did mean nothing.

When Christine and Jeb came home for dinner, the entire flock was sitting in the boys' room listening to the Gasman, who could not only throw his voice but do amazing impersonations with it as well, doing imitations of celebrities and having us guess who they were.

"Eh…Paris Hilton!" shouted out Nudge, giggling.

"Yeah," said Gazzy, smiling and shifting his weight to his other foot as he thought up a new one. There was a knock on the door and it opened. Christine and Jeb were there, and asked us if we were ready for dinner. 

It was delicious; warm, hot stuffing and tender chicken were piled high on dishes, and it was within half an hour that it all disappeared. Christine marveled at how much we all ate, especially little Angel, who ate the most.

"The world isn't about to end, you know," Christine joked, but I glanced up at Fang. It was the very same thing that Angel had said to him that morning.

Later that night, after the others had gone to bed, Fang came into my room and sat on my bed. Note to self: Get Fang more shirts. He didn't look at me. 

"I think we should leave," he said after a few minutes of silence, but his back was still to me. I had been skimming through _Pride & Prejudice_, bemused at the old-fashioned words and concepts, but I set it down carefully beside me when he said that. 

"I do, too," I said, and he turned and looked at me. Okay, so maybe I didn't trust Christine as much as I was letting on. Angel said she was good, but that was for the present. What if she changes suddenly? 

I voiced my opinion to Fang, who nodded. "That's what I was thinking. But how are we going to tell the Flock?"

"Just…tell them, I suppose," I said, shrugging. "Not much to it: 'We're leaving', and fly off." Seriously, how dumb Fang can be sometimes!

"Whatever you say, captain," he teased, doing the army salute. I threw _Pride & Prejudice _at him. 

Suddenly there was a crash from outside my room; the muscles in Fang's back tensed and I felt my heart begin to hammer. Then people began shouting, their words inaudible. I jumped from my bed and pulled on my boots, throwing my sweatshirt over my tank top. 

Fang and I ran out of my room, almost colliding with Iggy and the Gasman, who were already outside it; Gasman's hand was raised, as if he were going to knock on the door.

"Well, you said to knock next time I wanted to come into your room," he said. "Good thing, too. I don't think I'd be able to stand seeing you two kiss again."

"We weren't kissing," I seethed as a muscle in Iggy's jaw twitched. "Was that crash you, then?"  
Gasman shook his head. "That's why I was _knocking_. Do you know what it was?"  
"If I did, would I be asking?" I muttered, stepping past him. "You guys go in with Nudge and Angel, all three of you. I'll be there in a minute as soon as I see what's going –"

There was another crash, louder and closer this time. The four of us looked at the door at the end of the corridor, which was suddenly shaking savagely.

"_Leave them alive!_" 

It was the unmistakable growling shout of an Eraser. We were caught.

**Chapter 11**

"Come on!" I grabbed the Gasman's hand and pulled him into his room. "Get into the air – now. I'll get Nudge and Angel." I shoved him to the huge window, and he clambered up onto the sill. He then took a great jump, fell ten feet, and then the wind caught his now-unfurled wings. Iggy went next.

"Go!" I said to Fang, holding the curtains aside so he could jump.

"I'm waiting for you," he said, crossing his arms. 

"Fang –"

"Max." His voice was stern, and the shouts were getting closer, so I didn't argue.

"Fine, whatever," I snapped. "Just get a shirt on while you wait, okay? You'll freeze to death without one."

He grinned at me, and I rolled my eyes before shooting out into the hall. There were no Erasers, but I heard them in my room. I fought down my beating heart as I quietly turned the handle on the door to Nudge and Angel's room.

There was a quick cry of surprise and fear when I opened the door, but it was quickly stifled when they saw it was me.

"Max!" Angel ran forward and hugged my waist. I detached her from me and grabbed her hand.

"Come on, the Erasers are here," I whispered frantically. 

"Are they coming for us?" Nudge asked as we crossed the hallway.

"I wish they weren't," I said. "But then again, how many times do the Erasers come after us just for tea and crumpets?" Nudge smiled slightly, which meant she was laughing on the inside.

The three of us entered the boys' room, and Fang was leaning against the wall, looking impatient, but at least had pulled on a t-shirt.

"I swear," he muttered when we approached. "The things it takes girls hours to do: go to the bathroom, put on makeup, get dressed, and rescue their friends from a looming death by werewolf."

I allowed myself a small grin as I lifted Angel onto the sill. She jumped, and then Nudge climbed up, following suit. A moment later, it was just Fang and me.

"You go first," I said. He pulled himself onto the sill, but just before he jumped, there was a bang and the door flew open. Fang gave a startled cry and slipped; he fell through the air, but then opened his wings and beat them hard, rising upward. I turned, alone.

Erasers were crowding the doorway, blocking the light in the hall. 

"Hello, boys," I said, putting a hand on the windowsill. "Come for a nice chat?"

One of the Erasers at the front growled. "You could say that," he said, his voice raspy. 

"That's too bad," I told him, sitting on the windowsill. "Because I don't know if I'm going to be able to stay." He lunged forward, but I kicked his face with my boot – successfully breaking his nose. He jumped back and howled in pain, and the kick gave me enough force to fall backwards, out the window. But I've never tried falling backwards and flying. I twisted so I was going into a dive, and spread my wings. They caught the air easily, and I swung up into the air. Thirty seconds later, I had reached the same height as the others.

"Nice," said Fang appreciatively. "I've got to try that tactic sometime." 

We took one last look at the Erasers hanging out the window of Christine's house before turning and flying away.

_Focus on your mission, Max_.

_Oh, would you just go _awayI thought.

_Max, you must focus on saving the world, _the Voice said.

_How? I don't even know what I'm supposed to do to save it._

_Exactly._

Oh for the love of Gazzy and his footy pajamas.

We stopped flying three hours later in a small town. There was a post office and general store near the border of the woods we landed in, and just beyond that, a cluster of homes.

"What is this place?" Nudge asked. "It kind of gives me the creeps."

It gave me the creeps, too. The whole place was dark and rundown, and an awful stench floated up to meet us. I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

"Do you think anyone lives here?" Gazzy asked. I shook my head.

"It's too deserted," I told him. "No one would be stupid enough to come here."

"Except you," Fang said. I glared at him, but let that one pass.

It was around two in the morning, according to Fang's watch, and everyone was tired. I looked around me; there was a small patch of grass, and everything else was dirt and debris. 

"I guess we're back to sleeping in trees," I grumbled, turning back to the woods. "Sorry, guys." 

"It's okay," Angel said, swinging my hand. "I don't mind."

"Me neither," said Nudge and Gasman said together. Iggy shrugged, and Fang would go along with anything unless he figured it was a really bad idea, so a few minutes later we were settling into hallows in tree branches.

We stacked our fists as usual, and lay back as, somewhere nearby, our distantly related cousin the owl hooted dolefully. Well, there's something you don't hear everyday: I mean, how many people can say "my distantly related cousin the owl"?

"Hey, Max," Fang muttered after a few minutes. The slow, steady breathing all around us told me that the others were asleep. "Guess what day it is?"

"What?" I asked.

"The first of September."

Of course. "Tomorrow's my birthday," I grinned. "I'm gonna be fifteen, and yo-ou aren't," I added in a quiet sing-song voice. 

Fifteen! Me! Who would-a thunk it?

"Yeah, but that means in four months and nine days, _I'm _fifteen," Fang reminded me.

"Whatever," I grumbled. "Thanks for bursting my bubble, buster."

"No problem," Fang said.

We both fell silent. 

94

\/p> 


End file.
